Read all of our coverage of Maine's 2026 election or stay up to date with the latest developments through the Maine Political Report in your inbox or text messages from politics editor Kirby Wilson.
The Portland Press Herald is collaborating with The New York Times and the Siena Research Institute to deliver several polls on Maine’s critical 2026 elections.
The first of these polls was released Monday, showing a very tight race for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat as voters think most about the control of Congress and the economy.
Maine voters have the potential to change the balance of the U.S. Senate in a critical election year where the state’s governor is also term-limited.
“We feel incredibly fortunate to be collaborating with two venerable institutions in an election year that matters so much in our state,” said Executive Editor Carolyn Fox. “We are grateful to both The Times and Siena for including us in their process while also taking time to train our staff on how to cover the poll results most effectively.
This is the first time The Times and Press Herald have worked together on a poll in Maine, and the first large-scale political public opinion poll conducted by the Press Herald in several years.
The Times/Siena Poll is regularly recognized as one of the best political polls in the country. Known for its innovative and accurate likely voter modeling, the Times/Siena polls work diligently to ensure that all Mainers are represented in polling.
Their experts surveyed more than 600 registered Maine voters from June 19 to June 26. They asked for their preferences on Senate , as well as how they view the direction of the country, and economic conditions in Maine.
Polling is not exact (this one has a margin of error of 4.8%) but gives us some indication of voter sentiment based on a relatively small sample size that is weighted based on expert Times and Siena analysis.
The New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll of Maine voters was funded with support from the Maine Trust for Local News.
Read about the results
Do Mainers care about Graham Platner’s controversies? Here’s what our poll found.
The vast majority of Mainers have heard at least a bit about the U.S. Senate candidate’s personal history.
Hannah Pingree is the heavy favorite in Maine governor’s race, Times/Press Herald/Siena poll finds
Pingree, a Democrat, has a double-digit lead over Republican Bobby Charles in the three-way race that also features independent Rick Bennett.
Here’s how the Times/Press Herald/Siena poll works, and how to read the full results
The poll of likely Maine voters, based on hundreds of phone calls, paints a detailed picture of Mainers’ attitudes 5 months before the general election.
Solid majority of Mainers disapprove of Trump on cost of living
A Times/Press Herald/Siena poll finds most Maine voters say they think Trump has handled the economy, affordability, tariffs and gas prices poorly.
Graham Platner and Susan Collins are neck and neck, Times/Press Herald/Siena poll shows
Platner holds a slight lead over Collins in Maine’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, but it’s within the margin of error.
Maine voters view which party controls Congress as more important than ‘character’ of candidates
The results from The New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll hint at voter motivations in Maine’s high-profile races this year, including the US Senate contest.
These 6 charts sum up results of Times/Press Herald/Siena poll
Maine voters weighed in on topics ranging from the competitive US Senate race to President Donald Trump’s handling of key issues.
We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs. You can update your screen name on the member's center.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can subscribe here. Questions? Please see our FAQs.